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ÖVP blocks live broadcasts: FPÖ demands more transparency!
FPÖ has been calling for live broadcasts in U-committees for years. ÖVP is accused of blocking this. Debate ongoing.
ÖVP blocks live broadcasts: FPÖ demands more transparency!
The discussion about the live broadcast of parliamentary investigative committees in Austria is gaining momentum. According to a recent report by the OTS The FPÖ has been calling for surveys in these committees to be streamed live for years. While all parties support this concern, the ÖVP is heavily criticized. FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker confronts ÖVP parliamentary group leader Andreas Hanger and accuses the ÖVP of hindering educational work and misusing the parliamentary control instrument for party political purposes.
Hafenecker recalls that the ÖVP General Secretary Stocker once had no objections to a live broadcast and criticizes the alleged delay in implementation by the ÖVP. According to his statements, the FPÖ is ready to correct the failures of National Council President Sobotka and the ÖVP in the current legislative period. He emphasizes that not every person has to be visible in the broadcasts, but publicly relevant personalities should be made visible.
Negotiations and political support
According to another report by Parliament.gv.at Negotiations regarding the live broadcast are still ongoing. ÖVP MP Andreas Hanger announced a panel of experts to clarify open questions, especially with regard to the definition and decision on politically and publicly exposed people.
A referendum supported by over 102,000 Austrians further stimulated the debate. The initiators of the referendum are calling for more transparency and the possibility of following meetings open to the media in video and sound. Two investigative committees are currently active: the COFAG investigative committee, which is investigating possible favoritism towards “billionaires” by the ÖVP, and the Red-Blue Abuse of Power Investigative Committee, which examines the SPÖ and FPÖ’s government participation between 2007 and 2020.
Digital democracy and transparency
The live broadcast initiative fits into a larger context of digital democracy. The project Open Parliament TV shows how digitalization and open data can help make democratic and civic life more accessible for everyone. Supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, the importance of open government data is emphasized.
In this context, Bernd Oswald from Bayerischer Rundfunk emphasizes the importance of the initiative for more transparency in parliamentary work. The positive feedback from various organizations and individuals shows that the demand for more openness and comprehensibility in politics is still very relevant.